U.S. patent number 10,676,119 [Application Number 16/233,153] was granted by the patent office on 2020-06-09 for steering wheel.
This patent grant is currently assigned to NIHON PLAST CO., LTD.. The grantee listed for this patent is NIHON PLAST CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Katsuya Muramatsu, Masahiro Ooka, Akihiko Yamami.
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United States Patent |
10,676,119 |
Yamami , et al. |
June 9, 2020 |
Steering wheel
Abstract
There is provided a steering wheel to make it possible to
install a covering member on a rim section main body portion in a
wide range and with a good external appearance. A steering wheel
base section includes the rim section main body portion that
configures a rim section. The rim section main body portion is
provided with a groove along the rim section main body portion. The
groove is provided with a first line-shaped groove and a second
line-shaped groove that is less bent than the first groove. The
covering member is wrapped around the rim section main body portion
of the steering wheel base section. The covering member is provided
with divergence covering sections disposed along the first groove
with the first groove interposed therebetween. The covering member
straddles the second groove at a position of the second groove and
connects the divergence covering sections by a covering base
portion.
Inventors: |
Yamami; Akihiko (Guangdong,
CN), Muramatsu; Katsuya (Shizuoka, JP),
Ooka; Masahiro (Shizuoka, JP) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
NIHON PLAST CO., LTD. |
Shizuoka |
N/A |
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
NIHON PLAST CO., LTD.
(Shizuoka, JP)
|
Family
ID: |
66949942 |
Appl.
No.: |
16/233,153 |
Filed: |
December 27, 2018 |
Prior Publication Data
|
|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20190193771 A1 |
Jun 27, 2019 |
|
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 27, 2017 [JP] |
|
|
2017-251845 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B62D
1/065 (20130101); B62D 1/06 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B62D
1/06 (20060101) |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Rogers; Adam D
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Brundidge & Stanger, P.C.
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. A steering wheel having a grip section that is gripped and
operated by a driver, the steering wheel comprising: a steering
wheel base section provided with a grip section main body portion,
a bent part of which forms a portion of the grip section, and a
groove formed along the grip section main body portion; and a
covering member that is wrapped around the grip section main body
portion of the steering wheel base section, wherein the groove is
provided with: a first groove, and a second groove that is less
bent than the first groove, and wherein the covering member is
provided with: a plurality of divergence covering sections that are
disposed along the first groove and are positioned with the first
groove interposed therebetween, and a covering base portion that
straddles the second groove at a position of the second groove and
connects the plurality of divergence covering sections to each
other.
2. The steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein the covering
member is a heater unit provided with a covering member main body
and a heating circuit that is held by the covering member main body
and generates heat when energized.
3. The steering wheel according to claim 2, wherein the heating
circuit comprises a heater line.
4. The steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein the covering
member is a sensor unit provided with a covering member main body
and a sensor circuit that is held by the covering member main body
and detects a contact.
5. The steering wheel according to claim 1, wherein the covering
member is an outer skin section.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is entitled to and claims the benefit of Japanese
Patent Application No. 2017-251845 filed on Dec. 27, 2017, the
disclosure of which including the specification, drawings and
abstract is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a steering wheel having a grip
section that is gripped and operated by a driver.
BACKGROUND ART
In recent years, an electric vehicle (EV) is widely used. The
electric vehicle is configured of a combination of a rechargeable
battery and a motor, and it is necessary to suppress consumption of
accumulated power because energy needs to be replenished from an
external charger, basically. In this respect, in order to suppress
power consumption for heating (air conditioner) performed by high
power consumption, a section is provided to cause warmth to be
directly transmitted by a steering wheel that is directly touched
by an occupant (driver). For example, a heater line as a heating
element is buried in the steering wheel, and thereby it is possible
to warm the steering wheel even when it is not long after a start,
and various engines are not sufficiently warmed. Hence, when an
automobile as a vehicle parked outside in winter is started and
driven, for example, it is possible to suppress use of heating and
suppress power consumption while there is a reduction in difficulty
or discomfort of an operation due to a cold steering wheel.
As such a configuration, a steering wheel is known in which a
heater unit provided with layout of a heater line on a strip-shaped
sheet element is wrapped around an outer circumference of a rim
section of a cored bar or the like formed of a steering wheel base
material and is further covered with an outer skin element such as
genuine leather (for example, see PTL 1).
CITATION LIST
Patent Literature
PTL 1
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-189294 (pp. 5 to 8
and FIGS. 1 to 5)
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Technical Problem
In recent years, in order to improve a design, an external design
of the steering wheel is set, in some cases. For example, there is
provided a steering wheel subjected to a so-called grain-patterned
external treatment such as forming a recessed groove in a rim
section of the cored bar on an occupant-facing side thereof and
burying a terminal portion of an outer skin element in the recessed
groove. In a case of the design, split surfaces of the outer skin
element that is long along the rim section in a longitudinal
direction is set. There is demand for a steering wheel having such
a non-monotonic design, in which it is also possible to install a
functional structure such as a heater extensively and with a good
external appearance.
The present invention is made in this respect, and an object
thereof is to provide a steering wheel in which it is possible to
install a covering member on a grip section main body portion in a
wide range and with a good external appearance.
Solution to Problem
According to a first aspect, a steering wheel has a grip section
that is gripped and operated by a driver, the steering wheel
including: a steering wheel base section provided with a grip
section main body portion, of which at least a part is formed to be
bent and which configures the grip section, and a groove formed
along the grip section main body portion; and a covering member
that is wrapped around the grip section main body portion of the
steering wheel base section, in which the groove is provided with a
first groove that is formed in a line shape, and a second groove
that is formed in a line shape and is less bent than the first
groove, and in which the covering member is provided with a
plurality of divergence covering sections that are disposed along
the first groove and are positioned with the first groove
interposed therebetween, and a covering base portion that straddles
the second groove at a position of the second groove and connects
the plurality of divergence covering sections to each other.
According to a second aspect, in the steering wheel according to
the first aspect, the covering member is a heater unit provided
with a sheet-shaped covering member main body and a heating circuit
as a functional part that is held by the covering member main body
and generates heat when energized.
According to a third aspect, in the steering wheel according to the
second aspect, the heating circuit as the functional part functions
as a sensor circuit that detects a contact.
According to a fourth aspect, in the steering wheel according to
the first or second aspect, the covering member is a sensor unit
provided with a sheet-shaped covering member main body and a sensor
circuit as a functional part that is held by the covering member
main body and detects a contact.
In a fifth aspect, in the steering wheel according to the first
aspect, the covering member is a sheet-shaped outer skin
section.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
In the steering wheel according to the first aspect, the groove
formed along the grip section main body portion of the steering
wheel base section is provided with the first line-shaped groove
and the second line-shaped groove that is less bent than the first
groove. The plurality of divergence covering sections of the
covering member are disposed with the first groove interposed
therebetween, and the covering base portion that connects the
divergence covering sections is disposed to straddle the second
groove. In this manner, it is possible to position the divergence
covering sections on the entire grip section main body portion, it
is possible to install the covering member on the grip section main
body portion in a wide range, and it is possible to suppress a
difference in dimension on both sides of the bent groove of the
grip section main body portion at a position of the covering base
portion that straddles the groove such that a defect such as a
wrinkle on an external appearance is unlikely to be generated and
it is possible to perform installation with a good external
appearance.
In the steering wheel according to second aspect, in addition to
effects of the steering wheel according to the first aspect, it is
possible to dispose the covering member on the grip section main
body portion in a wide range and warm the grip section in a wide
range, and it is possible to obtain warmth even in a case where a
driver grips any position of the grip section.
In the steering wheel according to the third aspect, in addition to
effects of the steering wheel according to the second aspect, the
heating circuit as the functional part functions as the sensor
circuit that detects the contact, and thus it is possible to simply
configure the steering wheel that is capable of detecting a contact
while warming the grip section in a wide range.
In the steering wheel according to fourth aspect, in addition to
effects of the steering wheel according to the first or second
aspect, it is possible to dispose the covering member on the grip
section main body portion in a wide range and detect the contact in
a wide range of the grip section, and it is possible to detect a
grip on the grip section even in a case where a driver grips any
position of the grip section.
In the steering wheel according to fifth aspect, in addition to
effects of the steering wheel according to the first aspect, it is
possible to dispose a sheet-shaped outer skin section as the
covering member on the grip section main body portion in a wide
range and with a good external appearance.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a front view showing a part of a steering wheel of an
embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a view from an A arrow in FIG. 1 of the steering
wheel;
FIG. 3A is a schematic sectional view of a position corresponding
to I-I in FIG. 1 of the steering wheel, and FIG. 3B is a schematic
sectional view of a position corresponding to II-II in FIG. 1 of
the steering wheel; and
FIG. 4 is a front view of the steering wheel.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
Hereinafter, a configuration of an embodiment according to the
present invention will be described with reference to the
drawings.
In FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 4, reference sign 10 represents a steering
wheel of an automobile as a vehicle, for example. Steering wheel 10
includes steering wheel main body 11, pad body 12 which is mounted
on an occupant side of steering wheel main body 11, or the like.
Steering wheel 10 is mounted on a steering shaft provided in a
vehicle in a state of being inclined normally; however,
hereinafter, when steering wheel 10 is viewed from a side of a
driver (occupant), an arrow U direction is described as an upper
side, an arrow D direction is described as a lower side, a front
side, that is, a side of a front glass on an upper front side, of
the vehicle is described as the front side or a back surface side,
and a rear side, that is, a lower rear side, of the vehicle is
described as the rear side, a near side, or a front surface
side.
In this manner, steering wheel main body 11 is configured to
include a rim section (grip section) 15 as a grip section, boss
section 16 that is positioned on an inner side of rim section 15,
and a plurality of spoke sections 17 that connects rim section 15
and boss section 16; here, in the embodiment, three spoke sections
17 are provided. In addition, steering wheel main body 11 has
steering wheel base section 18. In addition, steering wheel main
body 11 has covering member 20. Further, steering wheel main body
11 has outer skin section 21. In this manner, steering wheel main
body 11 has cover body 22 (FIG. 1).
Rim section 15 is a part that is gripped and operated by a driver
(occupant). Rim section 15 can be formed in any shape; however, at
least a part thereof has an annular shape formed along a
circumference, for example. To be more specific, rim section 15 is
provided with arc-shaped bending portion 15a and connection portion
15b extending in a right-left direction which are integrally
provided. That is, when viewed from a front surface, in rim section
15, a part from the seven o'clock direction through the twelve
o'clock direction to the five o'clock direction on an analog clock
becomes bending portion 15a, and a part on a lower side from the
five o'clock direction through the six o'clock direction to the
seven o'clock direction on the analog clock becomes connection
portion 15b that connects both ends of bending portion 15a.
Hereinafter, sections of steering wheel main body 11 are disposed
on the right, left, top and bottom sides with a (neutral) position
of steering wheel 10 as a reference.
Bending portion 15a is formed in a half or more of rim section 15,
that is, a main part of rim section 15. In the embodiment, bending
portion 15a configures a part close to an upper side of a lower
half of rim section 15, in addition to an upper half of rim section
15. Therefore, bending portion 15a is connected to right and left
spoke sections 17 and 17. For example, bending portion 15a has a
constant (also including substantially constant) curvature.
In the embodiment, connection portion 15b configures a part close
to a lower side of the lower half of rim section 15, for example.
Therefore, connection portion 15b is connected to a lower spoke
section 17. In addition, connection portion 15b is formed of a
straight portion extending in the right-left direction. That is,
connection portion 15b is formed to have smaller bending, that is,
a smaller bend (an absolute value of a curvature of each portion)
than bending portion 15a.
Steering wheel base section 18 has cored bar 23 and resin layer 24
that is covered with covering member 20 that covers a part of cored
bar 23.
Cored bar 23 shown in FIGS. 1, 3A, 3B, and 4 is made of metal and
includes substantially cylindrical boss 25 having a serration
structure of intermeshing with the steering shaft on the back
surface side which is a vehicle body side of boss section 16, and
boss plate 26 that configures the cored bar is integrally fixed to
boss 25. In this manner, spoke cored bar section 27 corresponding
to spoke section 17 is formed to be integrally connected from boss
plate 26. Further, rim cored bar section 28 as a grip section cored
bar corresponding to rim section 15 is fixed to spoke cored bar
section 27 of spoke section 17.
Spoke cored bar section 27 is radially provided. Spoke cored bar
section 27 may not need to correspond to all of spoke sections 17,
or a part of spoke section 17 may be configured to have a finisher
or cover body 22 without having spoke cored bar section 27. In the
embodiment, spoke cored bar section 27 projects from boss plate 26
on right and left sides and is connected to rim cored bar section
28. That is, spoke cored bar section 27 is provided to correspond
to right and left spoke sections 17 and is not provided for lower
spoke section 17.
Rim cored bar section 28 configures a part of rim section 15. Rim
cored bar section 28 is formed in a shape corresponding to a shape
of rim section 15. That is, rim cored bar section 28 can be formed
in any shape depending on the shape of rim section 15; however, at
least a part of the rim cored bar section has an annular shape
formed along a circumference, for example. In the embodiment, rim
cored bar section 28 has bending cored bar portion 28a
corresponding to bending portion 15a of rim section 15 and
connection cored bar portion 28b corresponding to connection
portion 15b of rim section 15, the bending cored bar portion and
connection cored bar portion being integrally provided. That is,
bending cored bar portion 28a is formed in a half or more of rim
cored bar section 28, that is, a main part of rim cored bar section
28, and is formed in an arc shape having a constant (also including
a substantially constant) curvature. In addition, bending cored bar
portion 28a is directly connected to boss plate 26 via right and
left spoke cored bar section 27. On the other hand, connection
cored bar portion 28b is formed to extend in a straight line shape
in the right-left direction, for example, and is formed to have
smaller bending, that is, a smaller bend (an absolute value of a
curvature of each portion) than bending cored bar portion 28a. In
addition, in the embodiment, connection cored bar portion 28b is
positioned to be separated from the boss plate 26.
Resin layer 24 is formed to cover at least rim cored bar section
28. In the embodiment, resin layer 24 is formed to cover entire rim
cored bar section 28 and a part of spoke cored bar section 27, for
example. To be more specific, resin layer 24 is provided with rim
covering section 31, which covers rim cored bar section 28 at the
position of rim section 15, and spoke covering section 32 that
covers a region having a predetermined distance from an end portion
that is connected to rim cored bar section 28 of spoke cored bar
section 27 at the position of spoke section 17, the rim covering
section and the spoke covering section being integrally provided.
In addition, resin layer 24 is formed to have a substantially
circular cross section, for example. In this manner, in the
embodiment, resin layer 24 is made of a resin obtained by
performing fine foaming on soft foaming polyurethane resin. In
addition, resin layer 24 is provided with groove 33 that is an
outer skin splitting portion for fixing a part of outer skin
section 21 and is formed along rim cored bar section 28 at a
position of rim cored bar section 28. In this manner, resin layer
24 is formed by using a forming mold (die) not shown. The mold
includes one half mold and the other mold, schematically, and a
cavity that is formed between the one half mold and the other half
mold is filled with a synthetic resin raw material.
Rim covering section 31 configures rim cored bar section 28 and rim
section main body portion 35 as a grip section main body portion
that configures rim section 15. That is, resin layer 24 configures
cored bar 23 and rim section main body portion 35. Rim covering
section 31 has bending cored bar portion 28a of rim cored bar
section 28, that is, bending covering portion 31a corresponding to
bending portion 15a of rim section 15, and connection cored bar
portion 28b of rim cored bar section 28, that is, connection
covering portion 31b corresponding to connection portion 15b of rim
section 15.
At least a part of rim section main body portion 35 is formed along
an arc. That is, rim section main body portion 35 is formed to have
a bend (be bent). In the embodiment, rim section main body portion
35 has bending main body portion 35a, which is a first rim section
main body portion that is formed to include bending cored bar
portion 28a of rim cored bar section 28 of cored bar 23 and bending
covering portion 31a of rim covering section 31 of resin layer 24,
and connection main body portion 35b, which is a second rim section
main body portion that is formed to include connection cored bar
portion 28b of rim cored bar section 28 of cored bar 23 and
connection covering portion 31b of rim covering section 31 of resin
layer 24, the bending main body portion 35a and connection main
body portion 35b being integrally provided.
Bending main body portion 35a is formed in a half or more of rim
main body section 35, that is, a main part of rim section main body
portion 35, and is formed in an arc shape having a constant (also
including a substantially constant) curvature. Bending main body
portion 35a is directly connected to boss plate 26 via spoke cored
bar section 27. That is, bending main body portion 35a is directly
connected to right and left spoke sections 17 and 17.
Connection main body portion 35b is formed to extend in a straight
line shape in the right-left direction, for example, and is formed
to have smaller bending, that is, a smaller bend (an absolute value
of a curvature of each portion) than bending main body portion 35a.
In addition, in the embodiment, connection main body portion 35b is
positioned to be separated from the boss plate 26 and is directly
connected to lower spoke section 17.
Spoke covering section 32 is connected to rim covering section 31
and projects from rim covering section 31 on a side of spoke cored
bar section 27. In the embodiment, spoke covering section 32 is
formed at a position corresponding to right and left spoke sections
17 (spoke cored bar section 27), for example.
Groove 33 is formed in a line shape along rim section main body
portion 35. At least a part of groove 33 is positioned on the rear
side (front surface side) which as an occupant side on a front
surface of resin layer 24 (rim section main body portion 35).
Groove 33 is provided with first groove 33a formed in a line shape
and second groove 33b formed in a line shape. For example, groove
33 may be formed at the same time as when resin layer 24 is formed
by the forming mold or may be formed by performing processing after
resin layer 24 is molded.
First groove 33a is a part that is formed in a line shape in
bending main body portion 35a in rim section main body portion 35.
First groove 33a is formed in a longitudinal shape along bending
main body portion 35a at a position of bending main body portion
35a on the occupant side, for example. In the embodiment, first
groove 33a has a bending shape formed in the arc shape and is
formed along a center position of bending main body portion 35a
when viewed from the front surface, in rim section main body
portion 35. Hence, first groove 33a is formed to be connected from
seven o'clock direction through twelve o'clock direction to five
o'clock direction of the analog clock in rim section main body
portion 35 when viewed from the front surface. In the embodiment,
first groove 33a is formed to have a constant (also including a
substantially constant) curvature larger than that of bending main
body portion 35a; however, the curvature may not be constant at
portions thereof or may partially change into a positive or
negative curvature. In addition, first groove 33a may be partially
formed in a straight line (a curvature of 0). That is, first groove
33a may have a part in which a degree of bending changes or a part
in which a bending direction changes. In addition, first groove 33a
may be formed to be longer than second groove 33b.
Second groove 33b is a part that is formed in a line shape in
connection main body portion 35b in rim section main body portion
35. Second groove 33b is a gentle-curved portion that is less bent
than first groove 33a. Here, second groove 33b is less bent than
first groove 33a. This means that an average of absolute values of
curvatures in second groove 33b is smaller than an average of
absolute values of curvatures in any zone of first groove 33a,
which has the same length as that of second groove 33b. That is,
although first groove 33a may locally have a part that has an
absolute value of the curvature smaller than that of second groove
33b, the part is shorter than second groove 33b, and an absolute
value of a curvature in the vicinity of the part is larger than the
absolute value of curvatures (average of absolute values of
curvatures) of second groove 33b. It is preferable that an absolute
value of a curvatures of each portion of second groove 33b is set
to be equal to or smaller than an absolute value of a curvature of
each portion of first groove 33a. For example, in the embodiment,
second groove 33b is formed in a straight line shape (including a
substantially straight line shape). That is, second groove 33b is
formed to have a curvature of 0 (also including about 0). In
addition, second groove 33b is formed on an upper edge portion of
connection main body portion 35b in a right-left direction that is
a longitudinal direction of connection main body portion 35b. In
addition, second groove 33b may be formed to be continuous to both
end portions of first groove 33a. That is, second groove 33b is
formed in rim section main body portion 35 from each lower end
portion of first groove 33a toward a center side of steering wheel
10, and a distal end portion of the second groove extends to a side
portion of lower spoke section 17.
Covering member 20 is in a sheet shape and is disposed from a
position to cover rim cored bar section 28 of resin layer 24, that
is, rim covering section 31, to a position to cover a part of spoke
cored bar section 27, that is, spoke covering section 32. Covering
member 20 includes sheet member (mat portion) 41 as a covering
member main body and function part 42 held by sheet member 41.
Further, covering member 20 covers a front surface of resin layer
24 (rim section main body portion 35) and is bonded to the front
surface of resin layer 24 (rim section main body portion 35). In
addition, covering member 20 is provided with a plurality of
divergence covering portions 44 and covering base portion 45 that
connects divergence covering portions 44 to each other, the
divergence covering portion and the covering base portion being
integrally provided.
In the embodiment, covering member 20 is a heater unit for
adjusting a temperature of rim section 15, for example. That is, as
functional part 42 of covering member 20 of the embodiment, a
heating circuit that is formed of a heater line (heating wire)
having a line shape or a mesh shape, which generates heat when
energized, a temperature sensor, or the like. For example, as sheet
member 41, a porous material such as a non-woven fabric or a mesh
may be used. In addition, functional part 42 can be disposed at any
position; however, in the embodiment, the functional part is
disposed to meander in a wavy shape. That is, functional part 42 is
disposed to occupy a region having a predetermined plane shape with
respect to sheet member 41. In this manner, functional part 42 is
connected to a control circuit (not shown), and covering member 20
is configured to detect a temperature of rim section 15 when being
energized by the control circuit and to generate heat depending on
the temperature.
For example, a pair of divergence covering portions 44 are
provided, are positioned with first groove 33a of groove 33
interposed therebetween, and covers a front surface of rim section
main body portion 35 (rim covering section 31). That is, one of
divergence covering portions 44 is an inner covering portion that
cover a front surface of rim section main body portion 35 (steering
wheel 10 rim covering section 31) on an inner side (side of boss
section 16 which a side of a rotation center of steering wheel 10)
with respect to groove 33, and the other divergence covering
portion is an outer covering portion that covers a front surface of
rim section main body portion 35 (rim covering section 31) on an
outer side (side opposite to the side of boss section 16) with
respect to groove 33. Hence, divergence covering portions 44 and 44
are positioned to be separated from each other at a position
excluding covering base portion 45 on a front surface side and a
back surface side of rim section main body portion 35 (rim covering
section 31) (FIGS. 3A and 3B). In addition, divergence covering
portion 44 is formed to have schematically a quadrangular shape;
however, in order to bend the divergence covering portion,
depending on a bend of rim section main body portion 35 (rim
covering section 31) in a latitude line (large diameter) direction
of rim section 15, which is a rotation direction of steering wheel
10, divergence covering portion 44 may be appropriately provided
with a bending allowable portions such as a cutout or a notch. In
addition, divergence covering portion 44 that is positioned on an
inner side of first groove 33a of groove 33 may be disposed to
cover at least a part of spoke covering section 32. Further,
divergence covering portions 44 are disposed along first groove 33a
of groove 33. Here, divergence covering portions 44 is provided
along first groove 33a of groove 33. This does not mean that the
embodiment is limited to a configuration in which divergence
covering portions 44 are disposed to have substantially the same
curvature as that of first groove 33a. In this manner, functional
parts 42 are disposed over each of the substantially entire
divergence covering portions 44. That is, functional parts 42 are
disposed on divergence covering portion 44 that is positioned on
the inner side with respect to groove 33 and divergence covering
portion 44 that is positioned on the outer side with respect to the
groove. Therefore, functional parts 42 of covering member 20 are
positioned on the divergence covering portions on the inner side
and the outer side, with groove 33 interposed therebetween, in rim
section main body portion 35 (rim section 15).
Covering base portion 45 connects divergence covering portions 44
to each other. In the embodiment, covering base portion 45 is
positioned at end portions of divergence covering portions 44 and
44 and is positioned at lower end portions of divergence covering
portions 44 and 44 in a state in which the covering base portion is
positioned in rim section main body portion 35 (rim covering
section 31). In addition, covering base portion 45 is disposed to
straddle second groove 33b of groove 33 (FIG. 2). That is, covering
base portion 45 is formed to be continuous from the inner side to
the outer side of second groove 33b at a position of second groove
33b of groove 33. In other words, covering member 20 is formed to
straddle only a part of groove 33. Therefore, covering base portion
45 is positioned in a side portion of lower spoke section 17 in the
embodiment. In addition, covering base portion 45 is set to have a
length equal to or shorter than that of second groove 33b. That is,
covering base portion 45 is set to have a length to the extent that
the covering base portion does not reach first groove 33a. Further,
covering base portion 45 becomes a part that electrically connects
functional parts 42 to each other which are disposed in divergence
covering portions 44. That is, covering base portion 45 is disposed
both sheet member 41 and functional part 42, functional part 42 is
to straddle groove 33 (second groove 33b).
Outer skin section 21 is a part that is directly gripped by the
driver (occupant). Outer skin section 21 is formed of leather such
as natural leather or synthetic leather, a synthetic resin, or the
like into a sheet shape. Outer skin section 21 covers covering
member 20 and is attached to rim section main body portion 35. For
example, outer skin section 21 is disposed to continuously cover
the front surfaces of rim section main body portion 35 with groove
33 interposed therebetween in a meridian (small diameter) direction
which is a sectional-circumferential direction from the front
surface side to the back surface side. In the embodiment, terminal
portions 21a and 21a of outer skin section 21 are buried to be
attached to groove 33, and a so-called grain-patterned design
portion 47 is formed in the latitude direction on the driver
(occupant) side of rim section 15. Outer skin section 21 may be
formed integrally or may be split into a plurality of outer skin
piece portions which are connected to each other by sewing or the
like.
Cover body 22 is also referred to as a back cover, a lower cover,
or a body cover, is formed of a synthetic resin or the like, and
covers a lower portion of boss section 16.
As pad body 12 illustrated in FIG. 4, it is possible to use an
airbag apparatus or a housing that houses an impact absorber, for
example. Pad body 12 may be integrally assemble a horn switch
mechanism as a switch apparatus.
In this manner, when steering wheel 10 is manufactured, cored bar
23 that has been formed in advance is set in the forming mold, and
then a synthetic resin raw material is agitated and mixed to be
injected into a cavity of the forming mold, in which the cavity is
formed by combining (mold closing) one half mold and the other
mold. As a result, reaction of the synthetic resin raw material is
performed with foaming such that polyurethane is obtained and flows
toward a flow terminal.
Subsequently, a first intermediate body formed with resin layer 24
covering rim cored bar section 28 in the cavity is released from
the forming mold through mold opening of the one half mold and the
other half mold, and burr or the like is cut.
Further, covering member 20 that is separately formed adheres on a
front surface of resin layer 24 of the first intermediate body. In
this case, regarding covering member 20, one divergence covering
portion 44 is disposed on the inner side with respect to first
groove 33a of groove 33, the other divergence covering portion 44
is disposed on the outer side with respect to first groove 33a of
groove 33, and covering base portion 45 is disposed to straddle
second groove 33b of groove 33. That is, divergence covering
portions 44 and 44 are disposed along first groove 33a of groove 33
with first groove 33a interposed therebetween, that is, not to
straddle groove 33, and only covering base portion 45 is disposed
to straddle second groove 33b of groove 33. As a result, functional
parts 42 of covering member 20 are disposed to alternately
intersect the latitude (small diameter) direction of rim section
15, for example.
Then, covering member 20 is further covered with outer skin section
21. In this case, terminal portions 21a and 21a of outer skin
section 21 are buried in groove 33 of resin layer 24, which is
exposed between divergence covering portions 44 (sheet member 41)
of covering member 20 (FIG. 3A). As a result, steering wheel main
body 11 having design portion 47 along rim section 15 in the
meridian direction is completed. Covering base portion 45 of
covering member 20 that straddles second groove 33b is buried in
second groove 33b, together with terminal portions 21a of outer
skin section 21 (FIG. 3B).
Steering wheel main body 11 electrically connects the functional
parts of covering member 20 to the control circuit, and pad body 12
or cover body 22 is attached such that steering wheel 10 is
completed (FIG. 4).
As described above, according to the embodiment described above,
groove 33 formed along rim section main body portion 35 of steering
wheel base section 18 is provided with first line-shaped groove 33a
and second line-shaped groove 33b that is less bent than first
groove 33a. The Plurality of divergence covering sections 44 of
covering member 20 are disposed with first groove 33a interposed
therebetween, and covering base portion 45 that connects divergence
covering sections 44 is disposed to straddle second groove 33b. In
this manner, it is possible to position divergence covering
sections 44 at positions on both sides of first groove 33a of
groove 33 such that covering member 20 is install on entire rim
section main body portion 35, and it is possible to install
covering member 20 on rim section main body portion 35 in a wide
range. In addition, in a case where groove 33 is formed to curve
along bending rim section main body portion 35, rim section main
body portion 35 have different dimensions between the inner side
(inner circumferential side) and the outer side (outer
circumferential side) with groove 33 interposed therebetween in the
longitudinal direction (latitude direction of rim section main body
portion 35 (rim section 15)) of rim section main body portion 35,
and the dimensional difference increases as the bending increases
at a position. Therefore, in a case where divergence covering
portions 44 with groove 33 interposed therebetween are connected to
each other at a part (covering base portion 45), and covering base
portion 45 is disposed at a position at which bending relatively
increases, a wrinkle is likely to occur due to the dimensional
difference. In this respect, in the embodiment, covering base
portion 45 is positioned to straddle the position of second groove
33b having relative bending, that is, a bend (curvature) in groove
33. In this manner, it is possible suppress the dimensional
difference between both sides (the inner side and the outer side)
of groove 33 of rim section main body portion 35, which is bent
along an arc, for example, at the position of covering base portion
45 straddling groove 33 such that a defect such as a wrinkle in the
external appearance is unlikely to occur in covering member 20, and
it is possible to perform installation with a good external
appearance. Moreover, in the embodiment, second groove 33b has a
straight line shape, for example, and thereby it is possible to
suppress the dimensional difference at the position, at which
second groove 33b interposed, to the smallest extent and to have
covering member 20 in which a defect such as a wrinkle in the
external appearance is unlikely to occur.
In particular, covering member 20 is the heater unit provided with
sheet-shaped sheet member 41 and a heating circuit as functional
part 42 that is held by sheet member 41 and generates heat when
energized. In this manner, it is possible to install covering
member 20 on rim section main body portion 35 in a wide range and
warm rim section 15 in a wide range, and it is possible to obtain
warmth even in a case where the driver grips any position of rim
section 15.
In addition, covering member 20 straddles only the position of
second groove 33b having the relatively small bending of groove 33,
and thus it is possible to smoothly perform work without an
influence on workability.
In the embodiment described above, covering member 20 may be a
sensor unit that has, as functional part 42, a sensor circuit (a
pressure sensor, an electric capacity sensor, or the like) that is
to check that the occupant grips rim section 15. As described
above, covering member 20 is the sensor unit provided with
sheet-shaped sheet member 41 and the sensor circuit as functional
part 42 that is held by sheet member 41 and detects a contact. In
this manner, it is possible to install covering member 20 on rim
section main body portion 35 in a wide range and detect the contact
with rim section 15 in a wide range, and it is possible to detect a
grip on rim section 15 even in a case where the driver grips any
position of rim section 15.
In addition, covering member 20 can use, as functional part 42, a
circuit that functions as the heating circuit and the sensor
circuit, that is, a circuit that uses a heater line itself as a
sensor. In this case, it is possible to simply configure steering
wheel 10 that is capable of detecting the contact while warming rim
section 15 in a wide range.
Further, covering member 20 can have a configuration in which the
heating circuit and the sensor circuit are held by the same sheet
member 41.
In addition, covering member 20 can have a sheet-shaped
touch-feeling improving member that improves a touch feeling on rim
section 15, for example.
Further, covering member may also be sheet-shaped outer skin
section 21. That is, even when outer skin section 21 as covering
member is directly wrapped on resin layer 24, instead of covering
member 20 of the embodiment described above, outer skin section 21
is configured to have the plurality of divergence covering portions
that are positioned along first groove 33a of groove 33 with first
groove 33a interposed therebetween and covering base portion 45
straddles second groove 33b at the position of second groove 33b of
groove 33 and connects the plurality of divergence covering
portions to each other. In this manner, it is possible to suppress
a wrinkle or the like and install outer skin section 21 on rim
section main body portion 35 in a wide range and with a good
external appearance.
In addition, the position at which covering base portion 45
straddles second groove 33b is set to a position of steering wheel
10 in the six o'clock direction of the analog clock, that is, in a
side portion of lower spoke section 17; however, it is possible to
set the position at another position such as a lower portion or an
upper portion of right and left spoke section 17, for example.
Further, steering wheel 10 is not limited to the configuration in
which three spoke sections 17 are provided, and can have a
configuration in which two, four, or more spoke sections 17 are
provided.
In this manner, steering wheel 10 can be used as the steering wheel
for steering not only the vehicle such as the automobile but also
any vehicle.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
The present invention can be preferably used as a steering wheel of
an automobile such as an electric vehicle, for example.
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